Dr. Giulia Tortora has been elected as the new Chief of Medical Staff at South Peninsula Hospital, replacing Dr. Katie Ostrom. Tortora will serve as the medical staff’s representative to the SPH Inc. Board of Directors. She most recently served as the hospital’s Chief of Staff in 2015.

Melissa Jacobsen was appointed in December as the newest member of the SPH Board. Jacobsen has been the Homer City Clerk for 18 months and served as Deputy City Clerk for 12 years before that. Her governance experience includes Executive Board and 1st Vice President of the Alaska Association of Municipal Clerks, Kachemak Board of Realtors board member and Kenai Peninsula Pop Warner Board of Directors.

Departing from the board after 10 years of service is Dr. Vickey Hodnik, of Homer Dental Center. Hodnik served in a variety of roles during her tenure, including Governance Committee Chair and Education Committee Chair. She also served on the Sublease and Operating Agreement Committee and Medical Staff Development Committee, and was the board’s representative to the hospital’s Patient Centered Care and Quality Committee and the South Peninsula Hospital Foundation.

Matthew Hambrick, David Groesbeck and Dr. Todd Boling were all re-appointed to the board. Their reappointments are through 2021, as is Jacobsen’s appointment. Officers for 2019 will be elected at the next Board of Directors meeting, to be held 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, in the hospital’s conference rooms.